Stocks and Millennium Plinth

The stocks located next to the gateway of All Saints’ Church date from about 1853, although records suggest that stocks were commonly in use in Martock throughout the 18th & 19th centuries. The present stocks cost the parish 30 shillings, and were originally located beside the Market House until they were deemed to be redundant.

The last resident of Martock to be committed to the stocks was the local chimney sweep, who was sentenced to four hours in them for insulting ladies whilst drunk. He was later reported to have said ‘I would rather clean a dozen chimneys than suffer another sentence like that’.

The Millennium Plinth holds a time capsule containing photographs and articles which depict Martock in the year 2000. It also contains an assortment of artifacts, including false teeth & spectacles.